Reginald Bainbrigg facts for kids

Reginald Bainbrigg (sometimes spelled Baynbridge) was an English schoolmaster and a person who studied old things, called an antiquary. He lived from 1545 to 1606.

Life of Reginald Bainbrigg

Reginald Bainbrigg was likely born in a place called Westmorland around 1556. He started studying at Peterhouse, Cambridge, in 1573. He earned his first university degree in 1576 or 1577.

In 1580, Bainbrigg became the headmaster of the Appleby Grammar School. This school was in Appleby-in-Westmorland and was supported by Queen Elizabeth I. While teaching, he also spent his time researching old objects and places.

He was very keen on collecting old stones that had ancient writings on them. He found these stones in Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland. In 1602, he even built a small house in his garden to keep his collection safe. A message carved into one of the house's walls said he had been teaching at Appleby for 22 years and was 57 years old.

The house and its collection were still there until the late 1600s. However, the collection was later broken up, and no one knows where the stones are now. Bainbrigg sent copies of the writings he found to a famous historian named William Camden. Camden included them in his book Britannia. He thanked Bainbrigg, calling him "the very learned Reginald Bainbrigg."

Reginald Bainbrigg passed away in 1606. In his will, he left his furniture and a garden to future headmasters of the school. He also left a small amount of money each year to the head boy. The head boy would get this money if he wrote a Latin poem praising Bainbrigg and two other people who helped the school. Bainbrigg also left land and building materials for a new schoolhouse that was being built when he died.

What Reginald Bainbrigg Wrote

Reginald Bainbrigg also wrote down his findings. Some of his papers are kept in the British Library. These include:

• A report about old objects in Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Durham. This report has Roman writings, drawings of altars, and descriptions of the land.
• Family histories of the Gospatricii and Curwen families.
• Information about the Barons of Kendal and the Bruis family.

Another paper, an "Inscription on the Picts wall," was sent by Bainbrigg to William Camden. It is now in the Lansdowne Manuscripts collection. Some Latin poems about the death of Sir Philip Sidney, signed 'R. Bauningus,' might also have been written by Bainbrigg.